Piano chords · Bossa beach

How to play Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town on piano

By J. Fred Coots

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Bb – Dm – Eb – Ab7 – Bb – Bb7 – Eb – Ebm
How it goes
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Dm is D, F and A; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab7 is Ab, C, Eb and Gb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Ebm is Eb, Gb and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIDmiiiEbIVAb7bVII7BbIBb7I7EbIVEbmiv
- BbBb · D · F
- DmD · F · A
- EbEb · G · Bb
- Ab7Ab · C · Eb · Gb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbmEb · Gb · Bb
2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Bossa swayRoot bass rhythm · Bossa novaLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Pumping chordsPumping 8ths · RockRight handMedium
4
Both hands at 160 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
5
Ending: Cm – F7 – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CmF7Bb
- CmC · Eb · G
- F7F · A · C · Eb

What chords are in Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town?

The loop is Bb – Dm – Eb – Ab7 – Bb – Bb7 – Eb – Ebm (I – iii – IV – bVII7 – I – I7 – IV – iv) in Bb major, and the song ends on Cm – F7 – Bb.

What key is Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town in?

Bb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town?

Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town easy to play on piano?

It is a medium one: learn the 8 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.

Can I hear the real melody of Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from 7 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.